He went to the extent of listing that as the first of four options — it’s quite another matter he suggested that the BCCI help the ICC by supporting option No. 4 (accepting the Indians’ demands).

The second option was to proceed with the Champions Trophy after barring India for failing to field its best team, with option No. 3 being to continue with the event and accept a second-string Indian side.

Gray has placed on record that the IDI (the ICC’s business arm) would be liable for severe “damages” should any of the first three options be exercised.

Moreover, nobody is willing to accept India sans the Sachin Tendulkars and Sourav Gangulys — certainly not Sony, for example.

While all that is fine, what has infuriated the BCCI is something else.

Had a deal been officially struck tonight, it would largely have been thanks to the face-to-face interaction between the Indian players and the ICC late last evening.